An even more powerful storm and a major flood threat are coming to the Tri-State Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday after a wintry weekend.
A Flood Watch has already been issued for New Jersey and parts of New York and Pennsylvania ahead of the storm late Tuesday into early Wednesday. The combination of 2″-4″ of rain along with saturated ground and melting snowpack could mean particularly widespread flooding.
There’s also a High Wind Watch for Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and the Jersey Shore. Expect downed trees and power outages in these areas as winds can gust 40-60 mph.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency effective at 5 p.m. on Tuesday while New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged residents to prepare.
“We are also tracking another potentially severe storm system that could bring several inches of rain and possible flooding to some areas of the State starting Tuesday. I have directed State agencies to closely monitor this weather system and they are prepared to provide assistance to our partners at the county level if necessary,” she said on Sunday.
This cross-country storm has already brought some heavy rain and mountain snow to the Pacific Northwest.
During the day on Monday, that storm system drew in abundant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and could lead to a flash flooding potential across much of the south in the coming days.
The southeast has the main severe weather threat on Tuesday, with a line of powerful thunderstorms rolling across states like Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas. Tornado watches have been triggered for parts of the south.
Heading through the day on Tuesday and into Tuesday night, heavy rain and gusty winds will push across the East Coast, bringing a flash flood risk to the northeast.
The combination of snow on the ground, surging warm air, heavy rain, and strong snow-eating winds will lead to a rapid runoff from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Small streams and rivers will be on the rise with the potential for a serious flash flood event.
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